Rural towns are handing out $10,000 relocation bonuses to poach high-earning remote workers

Freelancer woman with backpack and tablet walking down a narrow street in a european town, talking on the phone and smiling (Credit: Javi Sanz—Getty Images)

When a city like Tulsa can recruit nearly 700 households a year with $10,000 relocation checks—and keep 90% of them after the first year—it starts to look less like a post-pandemic gimmick, and more like a new model of economic development.

That’s the bet companies like MakeMyMove are making, as small towns and rural communities across the country compete to lure high-income remote workers who feel priced out of their home states.